HelpALittleDavid's Blog · Loving Laos

Wat Wisunarat is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple and was once home to the Prabang Buddhas.

It also contains what is known as the “Watermelon stupa”, build in 1530, it’s shaped like a watermelon. It is one of my first memories when I arrived in 2011. It took me a few years to remember this temple as I stumbled across it during the October Light Festival where there was beer drinking and games of rattan ball going on one night.

Recently the stupa got a facelift – with a lot of white paint.

The temple was originally built from wood before being burned by Black Haw riders in 1887 a military rebel group led by the Chinese. It was rebuilt using stucco and brick and retains some original materials. Restoration work was carried out in 1895 and again in 1932.

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Festival, Luang Prabang, Monks, Travel

By David

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